Andrea Brightwell
Interim CEO
Andrea holds an MBA in Business Administration and has over 14 years of experience at the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), including a decade serving as CEO of the psychiatric hospital system in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A dedicated advocate for animal welfare, Andrea attended the first organizational meeting of SAPA! in December 2011 and has since been a continuous foster, board member, and volunteer for five years. She currently resides on a ranch in Harper, Texas, with cattle, two horses, four cats, and four dogs.
Joel McLellan
Sr. Director of Operations and Life-Saving Initiatives
Joel brings over 14 years of experience in animal welfare, shelter management, and leadership. Originally from Canada, Joel has led transformative changes to expand rescue operations, increase rescue volumes, and improve employee engagement. He holds certifications in Executive Leadership and High-Performance Leadership from Cornell University and studied Business Administration at Red River College. Passionate about creating lasting change, Joel is dedicated to making a significant impact in the animal welfare community!
Janice Alonzo
Director of Administration
Janice serves as the Director of Administration at SAPA! She has over 10 years of experience supporting key leadership roles, focusing on strategy, and streamlining operations at the San Antonio Food Bank, Any Baby Can and The Greater San Antonio Chamber. She specializes in nonprofit administration, board development, and operations efficiency. Janice has a passion for causes that elevate her local community including ending, hunger, supporting children with special needs, economic development and fighting to protect the lives of our beloved cats and dogs.
Justine Grier
Director of Community Engagement
For over a year, Justine has been an invaluable member of the SAPA! family, and her love for animals shines through in everything she does. Whether she's comforting a nervous rescue, coordinating adoptions, foster families, or spreading awareness about our mission, Justine's passion and dedication are evident.
Kristy Ward
Director of Marketing and Events
Kristy brings a strong background in marketing and sales, with a passion for building connections and creating meaningful engagement. Originally from Corpus Christi, she moved to San Antonio in 2008, where she raised her two children—one now in college and the other pursuing a career in IT. Kristy and her husband, Ricky, who works as a luxury custom home builder sales agent, have been together for 11 years. Outside of work, Kristy loves fur babies and is a dedicated caregiver to her grandmother, who will be turning 90 this December.
Officers
Andrea Brightwell, Board Chair
Community Leader
Alexis Eidson, Vice Chair
Vice President of Strategy, Texas Dow Employee Credit Union
Derek Stahlman, CPA, Treasurer
Vice President, Controller, Bank of San Antonio
Rebecca Clausewitz, Secretary
Community Leader
Board Members
Danny Arnold
Assistant Vice President of Host Integration, Security Service Federal Credit Union
Sarah Dorgan
Senior Vice President, Commercial Banking, Bank of America
Miriam Douglas
Retired Army MSC Officer, Texas Tech University
Taylor Macek
Development Coordinator
Bethlyn Vasquez
Live Release Manager
Vanessa Guiterrez
Manager, Medical Care Center
